Lord Death
by Author Goddess
Summary: Kanda didn't know what he got himself into when he met the first Daughter of Lord Death, especially after she fell in love with him. Kanda is stuck living in between worlds as an ambassador for the Living in Death's court, Living by day, Netherworlds by night. What's he gonna do when he actually starts liking Catherine Mortmain too? Read it and find out. A/n Don't own ayman
1. Chapter 1

"I'm here for the soul o- eep!" the girl said diving out of the way to avoid being hit by Kanda's level one anti-akuma sword strike.

Yuu Kanda was an exorcist in the Black Order, sworn to remove any and all akuma, beasts that trapped the souls of others to survive. His long dark blue hair was usually, if not always, pulled up into a ponytail, save for his bangs, and the shorter pieces that wouldn't stay pulled up.

The level one akuma, tried to avoid Kanda's attack, but being a large and balloon looking thing with a face and guns pointed at Kanda, it hardly moved at all. The sword strike sliced neatly through the center of the akuma, dissolving it, as well as freeing the trapped soul inside.

Kanda used to wish that he had Allen Walker's ability to see akuma in their human forms. It would make his life a whole lot easier, what with his job being hunting akuma on a daily basis. But, he wasn't willing to let an akuma poke his eye out for that.

"Hey! You! Soul! I need you!" the girl said scrambling forward on all fours to, what looked like, stick her hand into the netherworld and pull the soul out.

Kanda's eye widened slightly, having this been the first time he had ever seen a trapped soul. It looked like a bony skeleton curled up with Millennium Earl's, the akuma creator, aura surrounding it in a purply cloud. Kanda was suddenly glad he didn't have Allen's sight.

The soul let out a blood curling shriek. Kanda covered his mouth with his hand trying to stiffle the laugh that wanted to escape. The way the soul struggled against the girl's hold, reminded him of a child struggling in his mother's grasp.

"Not funny." the girl snapped, pointing her finger at Kanda. He held up his hands in mock surrender. _No need to get touchy,_ he thought.

The girl opened a pouch in her belt and began stuffing the soul inside in an almost comical way. "Get…in…there!" she grunted. After a four of five hard shoves, she sighed happily. "I hate soul hunting." she said her smile turning into one of disgust. "Well, see ya!" she said the smile back on her face almost instantly. She turned and made as if to run right, but stopped when Kanda's voice stopped her.

"Who are you?" he asked his voice scratchy from unuse. He cleared his throat and waited for her answer hopping that she would just give him her name and not her entire life story.

She put her foot back on the ground, and pivoted around with a smile. "Finally. He speaks." she said tilting her head to the side and placing a hand on her hips. In the dark lighting of the theater, Kanda thought that her hair must have been black, but probably was mistaken since he couldn't see well. If fell off her shoulders in a shower of hair, and ended in the middle of her back. She blew her bangs out of her face.

"And since you asked.." she started to say. Kanda almost groaned. No life story for him.

"If you are preparing to tell me your whole life story, save it. I was curious for a name, not a life story." Kanda said turning around, his long coat swinging out around him before settling down. He marched out of the theater feeling his long hair bounce against his shoulders.

He stepped out into the broad daylight and out a hand up to sheild his eyes from the glaring sun. He looked around the building and the surrounding area, hopping to find her Finder, but didn't see him anywhere. _that's funny. I thought I told him to stay nearby. I hope he's alright…_ Kanda thought idly. Nevertheless, he moved on.

"Wait, boy who is in a bad mood!" the girl from the theater appeared in front of him, looking like she was running left.

Kanda stopped. _She's more persistent that Allen. _When he thought her hair was black, out in the sunlight he realized that it was so red, it almost was black. Straight as a pin too.

"My name is Saria Mortmain. Third daughter of Lord Death." She said holding her hand out in greeting. He stared at he hand.

"Lord Death?" he questioned ignoring her hand. She dropped it awkwardly, then shrugged.

"You don't like life stories." she said throwing his words back at him. He winced. Had he really been that rude?

Kanda took a few steps away from her, hearing her sigh in defeat, before he turned halfway back around to summon her to follow him.

Still not seeing his Finder, Kanda continued on knowing that sooner or later he would turn up.

* * *

"So why the name Mortmain?" Kanda asked. He and Saria were sitting in an outdoor café talking. If he asked a question, she would answer and then give a question about himself, or the Black Order.

"Mort, in Latin, means Death. Death main. Main Death Family. What is innocence?" she replied.

"Innocence is also known as _Tai Akuma buki; _ literally meaning Verses Akuma Weapon. When invoked by an Acommodator and as the Crystal of God by those who first used it seven thousand years ago, it is the weapon the Exorcists use to defeat and purify Akuma." Kanda answered. Thinking about Mugen, his sword being made of innocence was something he never really thought about. "What is soul hunting?" Kanda asked.

Saria thought about for a moment before answering, "Collecting souls for my father to judge."

Kanda nodded his head waiting for her question. This entire time he was hopping that she wouldn't ask where he was from.

"Where are you from?" He mentally cursed.

"I am formerly from the Asian Branch of the Black Order. I was moved…later because of a few complications happening." he said truthfully. Now if he could only find a question to take her mind off the "complications". "Who is Lord Death?"

She pondered that. "He's the over seer of death. Though he hates family reunuions because his brother- our uncle- keeps stealing souls unrightfully." she said. This sounded familiar to Kanda, so he went a head and asked he another question. "Who is your uncle?"

If she noticed anything about the game, she didn't say anything. "That stupid egotistical maniac Millennium Earl." She grumbled. Kanda was silent. What was he supposed to do now that he knew she was his _niece._

Thankfully Kanda's Finder, Tony showed up out of breath and panting. "Master Kanda…I…found…you." he said panting.

Kanda stood up, nodding at Saria who was sitting in silence staring into her drink. "Saria." he said in a formal goodbye. He allowed a small smile to show through before moving on. He had actually preferred her company to Allen's, but since they were ao much alike there wasn't much difference.

"Kanda," she said, "I think you might like my sister." Kanda snorted but other wise gave no sign of hearing her.


	2. Chapter 2

Catherine

"Ooh. How interesting?" Catherine said leaning back up against the rough hewn stone wall. She blew a piece of curly black hair out of her eyes and tried again to lean out, to see out of the hole in the wall, without falling into the hole in the floor.

She was partially hidden from view, which was perfect for her "spy mode" which she was currently in. Meaning, She was trying to get a good look at the boy she'd seen earlier coming into the Roman Coliseum.

It had only been a passing glance she happened to take, just to see the outside world from under ground, traveling up to the stands, and she saw a flash of blue hair walking past her. It startled her, so she almost fell into the hole she was getting ready to jump.

Catherine guessed that he was probably there to fight the Millennium Swordsman, whom had recently kidnapped a girl from her home. Catherine didn't care a bout the girl. She was just interested in all the akuma coming out of hiding. And, of course, the blue haired boy. She really hoped he wasn't here to save the girl.

"What'cha doin'?" Saria asked warping in next to her. Catherine jumped. She hadn't meant to take so long.

"Heh…heh, nothing." Catherine said scratching her head and looking away from the hole in the wall.

Saria and Anya we there with Catherine, because she lost a bet with Anya, and ended up doing soul collecting, a job they traded often, but Catherine was having a hard time keeping up with the souls, hence the other two being sent in to help.

"Well, I would get up to the stands because, there is a boy I want you to see." she said wiggling her eyebrows at Catherine. Catherine stuck her tongue out at Saria, and jumped over the hole in the floor, pointedly taking the long way up to the stands. It wasn't that she was mad with saria, she just wanted to absorb as much of the world as she could, before she was called back down to the netherworlds for more lessons in manners, and posture. Catherine hated those.

As she walked the dark corridors, she ran her hands across the old stone walls. _I wish I could have been here during one of the battles,_ she thought idly.

Time passed differently in the netherworlds. Sometimes when Catherine came back out of the darkness, she would find that it had been years since her last visit. So that's was probably why, Catherine never had any friends. Go home, and one day come back to find your friends old and senile.

After climbing the four flights of stairs, Catherine was beginning to wish she had warped just to save the aching in her legs. She paled when she saw Anya and Saria wave at her from the top of the stands, i.e. another flight of stairs.

"Come sit with us!" they shouted. Catherine shook her head and sat down on one of the front bleachers, which had a very nice view anyway.

"You shall not win." The Millennium Swordsman said swinging his great big sword around, waving it at the blue-haired boy. Catherine was back up on her feet, straining over the side just to get a better look.

Down in the middle of the arena, the boy stood, proud and tall. His black coat shifted around his feet with the sudden winds that would come and go. From what she could tell, he carried his sword in his hands, but made no move yet to pull it out.

"You shall not win!" The Millennium Swordsman said again, angered by the boy's lack of response.

Slowly, the boy's other hand reached down and grasped the hilt of his sword, and pulled it free in one smooth movement. His feet shifted back slightly into a fighting stance.

Vaguely behind her, Catherine could hear shouts of encouragement from her two sisters up farther in the stands. Still watching, the faint whooshing of air caught her attention. She glanced up at Saria, but couldn't find her. Anya pointed down into the arena.

Catherine turned back, just in time to see Saria warp down next to the boy, and touch his shoulder. He glanced down at her, and spoke something, which Catherine guessed had to be along the lines of "what are you doing here" because Saria got excited and started rocking back and forth on her toes really fast. She turned around and pointed up at Catherine, glancing once to cast a wicked smile, and then turning her back to Catherine again so she couldn't see what she was saying.

Something similar to a smile crossed, the boys face as he patted Saria on the head, and handed her his sword sheath. He glanced up at Catherine with the same look on his face.

Her heart stopped for a second, then started back up, beating faster than normal. She was quite certain that he almost did smile, but then he turned away, so she never got to see. _Those eyes…_ Catherine shivered. He had dark, scary eyes. Almost like her Father's.

In the seconds that Catherine had been thinking, Saria had warped next to her, and pushed the sword sheath into her hands.

"Hold Mugen's case." She said

"Mugen?" Catherine asked placing the sword sheath on the bench then went back to lean over the rail.

"Kanda's sword." Saria said pointing at the boy-Kanda. _Kanda.._ Catherine thought happily, waiting for the moment when Saria was back sitting with Anya, so she could roll his name across her tongue.

"Kanda?" She squeaked unable to form a full sentence. Saria laughed and patted Catherine's head like she was a little girl, because funny, Catherine was the eldest out of the three of them.

"Yes, Kanda." Saria said. She grabbed Catherine's shoulders and turned her around so she could look Saria in the eye.

"Listen very closely. There are hundreds of akuma closing in on the coliseum. Anya and I are going out to fight them, because once they get in here, Kanda's dead. So, every other wave, Anya and I are going to trade you off, as a rotation. Till then, stay here and be sure to get all the akuma that slip through the cracks." Saria said kissing Catherine's face. Anya warped in next to them and threw her arms around them both shouting, "Family group hug!"

Saria slipped out from underneath Anya, and stuck her hand into the netherworld and rummaged around searching for her bow. She pulled it out, and then stuck her hand back in and fixed a few things. "remind me when we get home to clean my closet." She said.

They all had gifts from their father. A few of them, like warping and reaching, were used commonly. But others weren't accessible until they were married or going to get married, which, according to Lord Death, wasn't going to happen for another century or so.

"Innocence…activate." Saria said. Her bow- Daikyuu- glowed bright emerald green and moved turning longer and adding sharp ends for close combat. The green light spread up her arm and got rid of her right sleeve up to her shoulder, so the veins of innocence was visible for all. Saria grabbed a ribbon from the netherworld portal that lead to her closet, and tied the long strands of blood red hair, so dark it was almost black, up. Her bangs flopped into her face as she tilted her head to the side and said, "See you out there." and warped out running right.

Anya sighed. She was the middle child and was often roped into the antics of the youngest. Anya turned back to Catherine, her white curls bouncing lightly.

"I guess that's my cue!" She said cheerily. Anya was so sweet and innocent looking, that it was a surprise when she came back from soul collecting covered in akuma, and sometimes human blood. Her white curls would be stained red, and she would have a pink tint to her pale skin for a few days. The only color to her face were her bright violet eyes, that always seemed to make her smiling even when she was getting ready to kill something. During the winter, when their father would allow it to snow in the ballroom, she would almost disappear in the white fluffy snow. Especially when she wore her white cloak.

Anya reached into the netherworld portal leading to her closet, and pulled out her anti-akuma weapon. Cheerily, she said, "Innocence activate!" The short sticks in her hands would glow the same emerald green, and both her sleeves would disappear to her elbow, making it easier for her to wield her whips-Soumu. She saluted Catherine and warped out, running right like Saria.

_ KandaKandaKandaKanda._ Catherine said in her head so fast it sort of became a chant. She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders as the cold night wind bit into the skin on her neck making her shiver. She had been out into the battle field outside the coliseum many times killing dozens of akuma, sometimes with Anya, other times with Saria. It had been three days, and Kanda was still fighting. He hadn't stopped once yet.

_ That can't be good for him._ Catherine said biting into her sandwich, she had warped back to the netherworlds for. There were other ones for when one of the other girls would come in and get some rest, and eat, trading off with the reserve.

_ He's got to stop soon._ Catherine hoped. Around the coliseum, the other girls and Catherine had lighten the torches to add more light for the battling contestants, but sadly attracting more akuma than necessary. In the few seconds that the females had together, they decided that it was for the best to keep the fight fair.

Catherine bit her lip, huddling closer for warmth. She would go inside, but she wanted to watch for as long a she could keep her eyes open, which wouldn't be much longer. _Father, please don't let him die._ She begged in her head. He was Saria's friend. For how long, no one knew. But that probably wasn't all of it.

Every time the Millennium Swordsman came close to hitting Kanda, Catherine's heart sped up, double time. She left for her turn fighting, worried that when she came back, she would hear the Millennium Swordsman say to the kidnapped girl, "No one has yet surpassed me", and she would find him lying in a pool of his own blood. Catherine knew that if she asked, her father would bring his soul back for her, on the promise that when he woke up, he would serve the night court.

Even thinking about Kanda's death, Catherine had cold tears slipping down her face. After trying to get her out of control breathing, under control, she heard the Millennium Swordsman say, "I release you this time traveler."

She glanced up quickly, bouncing over to the rail, she saw the Millennium Swordsman back away from Kanda, heaving greatly. Catherine had forgotten about how tired the Swordsman must have been. Kanda nodded, and backed off too, reaching a few steps before dropping to one knee, only being supported by Mugen. His shoulders heaved, and before she knew it, Catherine was kneeling next to Kanda.

"Are you okay?" she asked handing him Mugen's sheath. Kanda slipped Mugen slowly back into it's case. Kanda nodded tiredly. He looked half starve and half dead.

"I need some sleep." he said.

"No, Really? I wouldn't have guessed." Catherine said before she could slap her hand over her mouth. "I didn't say that." she said at Kanda's surprised look.

"Yeah…you did." He said lurching to his feet. He leaned heavily on Mugen, using it as a cane.

"Well, I did…but…I…didn't…mean it?" Catherine said uncertainly. Had she meant it?

"There. Wasn't that nice?" he said moving faster than Catherine would have thought at his stage.

"Well…I suppose so. If that's what you call nice." Catherine said. She wasn't sure where this conversation was going.

"It's not."

"Oh." Catherine was silent. Following Kanda silently through the entrance, out into the star filled sky. Kanda wasn't using Mugen anymore by the time they reached the field where Saria and Anya waited with their innocence weapons drawn and waiting.

Catherine whistled sharply, getting their attention. Saria stood up and motioned for Anya to do the same. Kanda graciously pauses and waits for them to get close enough before asking how many akuma they had killed.

"Umm…a lot the past few days, but none so far." Anya answered. She had dark rings shadowing her eyes. She looked beat.

"Go home and get some sleep. You look dead." Catherine said touching her face. Anya sighed, and disappeared, warping out.

Saria looked at Kanda and blinked tiredly.

"Did you win?" she asked yawning in the middle of her sentence. Kanda shook his head.

"I'm going back as soon as I get some sleep." he said. Catherine turned and narrowed her eyes at him. _Tempting fate once, isn't good enough for you then. _She thought bitterly.

Saria looked off into the distance, seeming to go off into Lala land. "Isn't that your Finder over there?" she said pointing. Kanda and Catherine turned around. There was indeed a tiny human waving his arms at them in the distance.

"It looks like it." Kanda sighed. "Ugg. That's a long way to walk." he said.

"We could warp and make you puke your guts out." He looked at Saria.

"Let's do it. There's nothing there to puke." he said. Saria and Catherine shared a look. They knew. The each grabbed one shoulder of Kanda and warped.

They appeared in front of the Finder, scaring him half to death, when Kanda bent over heaving hard.

"I told you so." Saria said. They had warped to a tiny cottage out in the middle of nowhere. A little old lady welcomed them inside, and showed them to a room in the back where they put Kanda, who had passed out after heaving so hard.

Catherine unzipped his coat, and pulled it off him. She pulled off his boots too, and tied the laces together setting them out side the window, after getting a whiff of them. _A night outside would do these poor boots good._ She thought. After noticing the light sheen of sweat covering Kanda's body, Catherine decided to leave the window open to get some cool air into the room. She folded his coat neatly, and set it on a chair that was set near the bed, placing Mugen on top. She exited the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Saria, and Kanda's Finder were sitting around the table drinking something hot, listening to the old woman who was sitting in her rocking chair, knitting something without a shape.

"And so goes the story of the Millennium Swordsman and Lady Sandra." she finished as Catherine leaned up against the door frame. The old woman looked up at her with concern.

"How is he doing, dear?" she asked looking back down to knit another row.

"Umm…you can ask him when he's awake." Catherine said shifting her coat. She motioned for Saria to follow her.

"Leaving?" the old woman asked confused. Catherine nodded.

"But aren't you worried about your husband?"

Catherine's breath stopped. She forced a smile to her face, as Saria slapped a hand to her mouth, trying to muffle the giggles. The Finder glanced at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"No!" Catherine cried shaking her head fast, "We…aren't married. I barely know the guy!" The old woman pursed her lips, then smiled.

"If you aren't now, you will be." Red hot embarrassment shot up Catherine's neck coloring her face a nice shade of red.

"I don't think so!" she said grabbing Saria's hand and pulling her out the door trying hard not to start laughing herself.

"I'm going to tell him that the next time we see him." Saria said.

"No you aren't." Catherine said fiercely, warping home for a hot bath and some quality time with her pillows.


	3. Chapter 3

Catherine

Catherine yawned, stretching her arms up above her head, feeling and loving the stretch in her muscles. She looked about her dimly lit room and decided to clean it up later, conveniently not looking at the pile of books left by her bedside that was stacked in a haphazard pile.

Before her face had hit the pillow, after coming home, from seeing Kanda to safety, her face heated up in embarrassment. _Well, if you aren't now, then you will be…_ She thought. _The nerve of that woman! Telling me who I'm going to marry! Well, I'll be the one to judge that! Humph!_ Catherine thought hiding her face in her hands.

_ But I wouldn't mind being able to tell everyone who will listen that I'm married to him…_the image a Catherine running around, excitingly telling everyone that she had gotten married to the sexiest guy on the planet. She shoved it out of her head. _Maybe not…_

Catherine fixed her long coat buttoning it up before warping to the coliseum, knowing that Kanda would be there possibly fighting again. It killed her how stubborn he was. She had gone there last night, and he was getting ready to go back. Not knowing how, she managed to convince him to stay and rest, and to get something to eat. He had dark rings under his eyes making him seem more ragged and tired than he probably really was, and he was stumbling every few steps he would take.

She knew he was strong. She'd just seen him fight for three days straight with out taking a break. But he was still mortal after all.

When Catherine appeared in the coliseum, the cold wind bit into her skin through her coat. Nobody was there. Er…rather everybody was there.

There were men hauling guns longer than herself through the coliseum, shouting about being the first to find her, and screaming about shouting for some dude. On man ran past Catherine pushing her forward almost into the arena.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, mister!" Catherine shouted. The man turned back around but kept on running.

"Go home little girl this is no place for you." he said running into the wall. As he shook off the effects, Catherine walked over and said, "if this isn't the place for me, then this definitely isn't the place for you" and walked off.

When the man was out of sight, Catherine warped to the out side wall, watching the continuous stream of men._ I wonder what they're here for…_ She wondered.

Movement caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Two lithe, figures were sliding down the slope trying desperately to reach the coliseum fast. One of the little people had stark silver hair, a little darker than her sister Anya's hair color. The other one had long dark green almost black hair. The person with the white hair wore a coat similar looking to Kanda's with the same crest and everything.

"Kanda's Teammates?" She wondered aloud, warping in front of the both of them.

She startled the two of them into a stop. Up close, Catherine saw that the silver haired person was actually a boy, much younger than Kanda was obviously. He looked Saria's age. Definitely too young to be out fighting, in Catherine's opinion.

The other one was a female looking close to the boy's age. Feeling stupid, Catherine realized that she could have figured out her gender because of her long pigtails.

"Who are you?" the boy asked startled. He had deep cobalt blue eyes and a long scratch coving his left eye that ended in the pentagram symbol, just like the one her uncle used as the family crest.

"Wondering the same thing myself. Are you friends of Kanda?" Catherine asked. The girl lit up when she said Kanda's name, making a bit of jealously flare up in Catherine. _Paws off girlie._ She growled in her head.

"You know Kanda?" The boy asked excitedly, and a little bit relieved. It was obvious that the boy was worried about Kanda. It made Catherine feel a little bit better knowing he had someone who cared about him.

"Yeah." Catherine said kicking the ground a little bit.

"Well, where is he? Is he alright? What happened? He didn't die did he?" The boy asked in one long breath hardly stopping in between sentences. Catherine started laughing. He was just like Saria. Asking as many questions as possible while still being cute about it.

"I'm sorry." Catherine said at his look, "it's just that you remind me so much of my sister." she said laughing a tiny bit more. "Well, look here -"

"Allen. Allen Walker." He said filling in the gap for his name.

"Allen. We helped him the first three nights, and then carried him to a farm house to rest, but now I don't know where he's at, seeing as of yesterday, I had to practically sit on him to get him to stay put." Catherine said.

Allen's eyes widened. "You actually stopped him from doing something he was dead set on doing? You must be awfully powerful." he said.

"You actually talked to him?" The girl asked in disbelief.

"Umm. Yes, and yes." Catherine said. "I would hurry though, all those people in there are going to get in his way. And, there are about two dozen akuma coming this way."

There were dozens of akuma floating towards the coliseum. They were all level one, meaning they were just barely made, and they didn't seem to care who saw them.

"Ohh that makes me so mad! The next time I see that Uncle Earl, I'ma gonna to punch his face in!" Catherine growled. She finger waved to two Exorcists before warping back into the coliseum.

"Where are you? Vittorio! Come out!" Some men yelled not taking a second glance at Catherine's dark form in the corner.

_ Vittorio? I thought he lived hundreds of years ago? Why are they calling for him? Isn't he supposed to be dead? _Catherine wondered. She remembered back to the big burly man Kanda was fighting. _He looked like Vittorio. Maybe he was immortal. _Catherine shook her head. _No, I clearly remember him being mortal._

Catherine moved, following the men who were shouting for Vittorio, otherwise known as the Millennium Swordsman.

"Vittorio! Come out! I'll take you down!" one of the men cried.

"Give the lady back!" Another one cried. _Claudine…the girl that the Millennium swordsman supposedly kidnapped. Did her really take her?_

Coming out into the arena, akuma moved fast down out of the sky, pointing their large guns and shooting at everything. In mere seconds, all those men were being shot with lethal poisoned bullets, that started out with the pentagram rash, and in minutes turned the body to ash. Only Millennium Earl had the cure. If there even was one.

As the akuma shot the coliseum, the old building would give way and send the ceiling down on whoever was unlucky enough to be caught standing underneath it.

Behind her, Catherine could hear the heavy panting of the two Exorcists.

As men would stop to reload their pathetic mortal guns, they would get shot by an akuma. They would try to run, killed by akuma. All around Catherine, death was being played on the cards of humanity.

Catherine ran out into the middle of the arena trying to avoid getting shot. Succeeding, because she moved faster than mortals, and had her warping ability.

Out of no where, Allen jumped up, from the stairs and cut down an akuma. It took Catherine a moment, but she finally realized that, Allen had an anti-akuma weapon, built inside his body, marking him as one of the rare parasitic types.

Catherine could hear the girl directing men down into the bowels of the coliseum, and out where they would have a greater chance of surviving.

"Hey! Catherine! You think you could have all the fun?" Saria shouted, warping in next to where Allen had landed after his leap. Saria looked over at Allen. "Yum. Who's he?" she said wiggling her eyebrows.

Allen blushed a deep scarlet and moved ever so slightly away from her, then, eyes widening, tackled Saria narrowly avoiding getting shot by an akuma.

"Yo! Hell no." Saria said hauling a dazed Allen up to his feet. "We don't do that." She shouted at the akuma pulling out Daikyuu and activating the innocence. "That. Gets you killed." She said pulling back and releasing a volley of innocence arrows, killing the akuma as well as three others around it. She turned back to Allen. "Hey, My name's Saria. Nice to meet you!" she said happily holding out hand.

Allen rolled his eyes, and jumped off the second row, moving fast to kill as many akuma as he could using his arm which turned into a big claw-like thing, looking oddly normal for the boy with the silver hair.

Saria warped down next to me, fanning herself, like she was bout to faint or something. "Mister Gorgeous over there…yum."

Anya warped in at the wrong time, only hearing the Mister Gorgeous and yum part of Saria's sentence.

"Saria, no. Just, no." Anya said shaking her head. She was wearing a short dress with small sleeves, so that her innocence activation wouldn't ruin her clothes like it had a tendency to do. All her white big white curls where were neat, with the front sides pulled back giving her the elfish look that she tended to pull off very well.

They all dive-bombed to the side choosing that moment to let the warp ability slide from their minds. Shot after shot rained down on the girls, making them move fast trying to get their innocence activated before they got shot.

"Sarietha! Short range attack!" Saria shouted kneeling down and releasing three or four powered up arrows, shooting them into separate akuma, all of them hitting the mark.

"Move!" Allen shouted dropping down next to Anya, and picking her up, jumping out of the way just in time to be missed.

From what Catherine could see, he dropped her off on the row above the arena, giving Anya more time to activate.

All around, they kept moving killing off akuma. The girl that Allen was with, her boots turning into her weapons. She was given the ability to jump higher, giving her the appearance that she was flying, but then she would kick the akuma, and that would be the end of that existence.

One of the few remaining men fell getting knocked down by some falling ceiling rock. An large akuma moved towards him meaning to get closer. Catherine moved to go help him, but was stopped by the steel-like grip closed around her ankle. It was the man who told her that she had no place being in the coliseum.

"Forget about him. Save me instead!" He said. He was lying on the ground covered with rocks that had fallen just like the other one. Why should she save him and not the other one? Catherine looked at the other man.

"They're only concerned for themselves." Catherine said aloud. She looked over at the other man, contemplating kicking the man holding her foot in the face just to get him off, when Allen landed in front of the akuma, and took it down with one swipe.

"Yet we still look after them." Allen said.

Allen and the girl stopped taking a step back, retreating up into the stands to regroup. Catherine pulled her foot out of the slimy man's grasp and warped landing next to Saria, who was signaling for Anya to come and join them.

"What do we do? There's so many of them! And with all these men running about pretending to have innocence and trying to kill them, whatif we accidentally kill one of them instead?" Anya said angrily. She was covered from head to toe in dust, akuma blood, and the general muck that they'd been sliding through for the past hour or so.

"That's a chance we'll have to take! If we didn't kill all these akuma, then it would be worse than losing a few lives along the way." Saira said firmly. He entire being was shaking with the effort to hold it together. Catherine guessed her father's Death cards was taking a effect on her too.

"Hey, you men have to leave!" Allen shouted. They all looked over towards the entrance that everybody had been using, and saw more men piling through the door hauling another gun.

"Set! Aim! Fire!" they shouted, shooting at the akuma with no effect. As the akuma drew closer, Allen's arm transformed into a large gun. He shot them out of the sky.

"Oh my goodness. He just keeps getting sexier by the second doesn't he?" Saria said fanning herself again. She had that starry-moon-eyed look in her dark eyes.

"I think that's just you." Anya said pulling her back into reality. Saira looked at her.

"Good then. That means I don't have to worry about competition." She said, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. Allen glanced towards them.

"Eeek! He's so cute!" Saria said jumping a little.

"Yeah, but you forget about the other girl who he's traveling with." Catherine said. She fiddled around with her innocence weapon, choosing to leave it off like it had been for the entire battle so far. Her weapon was more of one that should be used alone, meaning there was no control to be had over it at all.

"Oh her. I'm not worried. I'm far prettier than she is." Saira said stretching her bow string back and letting it go with a mute _twang._ Her arrow shot straight into the heart of the closest akuma.

"Conceited." Anya coughed into her arm. Catherine snickered hiding her smile behind her hand. Sometimes Saria's ego needed to be knock down a few notches.

"Well, I never! I thought we were supposed to be family!" She huffed, warping off to the middle of the arena.

"Just you wait and see. In three days, she'll have already proposed to him." Anya said laughing. Catherine couldn't agree more. The second Saria set her sights on something, she went for it.

One lone akuma floated by the wall, trying to secretly head towards Allen and the girl. Before it could make it though, the sound of a sword slashed through the air. The akuma fell cut neatly in half.

_ Kanda!_ Catherine thought excitedly, her heart fluttering around in her chest waiting to see that familiar head of blue hair.

"Who is that?" Anya asked. "It's not Kanda, that's for sure." She said dashing Catherine's hopes.

"I am Vittorio, a swordsman serving in the house of Tivoli." The large burly man said.

"That's the man! We found him!" The men shouted, with a mixture of happiness and greed.

"By order of Princess Sandra, I will fight you." Vittorio said. His face was partially covered by a metal thing, making his voice sound with a robotic ring.

"Attack!" The men shouted. Saria looked up from her position, and saw Vittorio standing there with his large broadsword hanging by his side. As if sensing something bad was going to happen, Saria deactivated her innocence, and started running. With a great big yell, the Millennium swords man swung outward defecting all the bullets being thrown at him, as well as sending out his own blast in a cloud of dust.

"Warp, Saria! Warp!" Catherine and Anya shouted. Before Saria could realize, warping was the only way to save herself, she was swallowed up in the cloud of dust. The dust settled, and where there was only flat ground before, there was a large gaping hole right where Saria had been standing.

"Saria!" Anya shouted warping foreward, only in short burst unable to comprehend a large movement. Allen jumped down out of the bleacher, into the hole, reappearing a second later, cradling Saria in his arms.

"Now, she's definitely going to marry him." Catherine said aloud to no one I particular. Anya stopped short at the edge of the chasm, seeing Saria saved by Allen, she stomped her foot a warp reappearing in front of the Swordsman.

"You! Stupid! Idiot!" Anya screamed. "You could have killed my baby sister! And just for you information, Princess Sandra has been dead for almost a thousand years! Get over your pompous self and MOVE ON!" She screamed at him in the dead silence. She stomped her foot and warped off, flicking Soumu at the swordsman in a warning.

It was awkward silence. Feeling weighed down by it, Catherine just had to say, "Well, isn't this awkward." Nobody made any noise, expect for Allen who tried to stop his cute boyish giggles coming down from the stands.

The girl gasped. It took a few seconds for everyone to realize, but those men who had fired on Vittorio where gone. Allen stood up straight, looking ready to jump on the man, but a chilling voice stopped him.

"No, you're not strong enough." Kanda said making himself known.

_ There he is._ Catherine sighed happily. She almost started doing a happy dance but stopped herself when Kanda's gaze settled on her. She couldn't see his facial expression from where she was at, but Catherine could only imagine him glaring at her._ Idiot. I have as much right to be here as Allen and his friend._

"Kanda.." Allen said. Catherine warped next to Allen and her unconscious sister who was lying at his feet.

"This fighter is my prey. Don't intervene." he said his eyes narrowing more when her saw Saria unconscious on the ground.

Allen groaned a tiny bit and shifted his weight. Eyes following Kanda, the three of them watched him jump and land neatly in front of the swordsman.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Kanda said. Catherine was so far away from him she almost couldn't hear.

"I will fight you." the swordsman said. His voice was always loud enough to hear from where ever you were at in the coliseum.

"C'mon." Catherine said grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her down the bleacher row.

"Where are you going?" Allen asked running after them. Catherine stopped.

"To get a better look, duh." she said, pointing down into the arena. "Wait-"

"Catherine."

"Lenalee." the girl said a brief introduction. "Kanda said not to interfere."

Catherine cast Lenalee a smirk. "Over this past week of knowing Kanda, how many time do you actually think I listened to his instructions?" Allen grinned a Catherine, with Lenalee looking only a little skeptical. They took off down into the coliseum, coming out on ground floor nearby where Kanda was getting ready to fight.

"Miss Lenalee!" A voice called out to them. Lenalee turned around.

"Pedro! I'm so glad you made it!" She said stopping the trio. The man in a long tan coat ran up to them.

"Yeah, you have no idea. I'm glad too." he said panting from his long run.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Allen asked worried.

"Never mind about me, Vittorio has innocence!" Catherine and Lenalee gasped looking over at Kanda and Vittorio.

"Cheater!" Catherine yelled angrily. Vittorio glanced up at her, giving Kanda a distraction.

Catherine stuck her tongue out at Vittorio, before turning back to Allen and Pedro. Pedro looked at her funny.

"I hate cheaters. They're so….cheesy." Catherine said folding her arms and glaring at the ground.

"It's in the sword. That's the source of the phenomenon that's kept the swordsman alive for a thousand years." Pedro continued. The group watched Kanda move swiftly, combating Vittorio.

Vittorio, jumped down onto one of the levels in the chasm, going out of view. Kanda was following his every move. Mugen moved faster than fast, only to be met with the large over bearing sword.

Again, Catherine could feel the same anxiety building up I the pit of her stomach. Why couldn't the swordsman just die?

"They fought for three days." The Finder thought to continue, but was cut off by Catherine,

"I know. I was there watching him most of the time, when I wasn't out fighting the akuma that were trying to break in. Saria and Anya would trade off with me, coming in to rest and get some food, before coming back out, where I could go in and continue to almost have a heart attack every time Vittorio would almost get a swipe out of him." Catherine said leaning over the edge of the hole to watch Kanda's fight.

"So it was you, who kept watch over him. I think the only reson he didn't get himself killed was because you were watching and he didn't want to make a fool out of himself." Pedro said lightly. Catherine gave a small laugh.

"I thought so too, till we almost had to carry him to the farmhouse."

"And the old woman thought that the two of you were married." Pedro said, smirking at the sudden red of Catherine's face.

"No! It's not like that!" Catherine said to the other two Exorcists, who looked at her like she was crazy.

"And then when you tried to deny it, she said 'if you aren't now, then you will be'. I thought I would die of laughter." Pedro continued, much to Catherine's embarrassment.

"And then when Saria and I went out side, she threatened to tell him." Catherine said finishing the embarrassing story.

"I'm going to tell him!" Allen said laughing despite the situation.

"You do, and I'm going to make sure Saria knows where you live." Catherine threatened. She was sure he wouldn't understand but that was a scary thought, considering Saria had already set her sights on Allen.

"I thank you for your help, because I know Kanda would never say it." Lenalee said, touching Catherine's shoulder. "But it doesn't seem any of them are using the innocence." She said turning to Pedro.

"I believe that's a matter of pride and honor." Pedro said, and everyone nodded. Kanda had pride alright.

Catherine watched the two of them circling about one another before fighting again, not one of them able to outmatch the other.

"Without my anti-akuma weapon, I'm practically useless in battle. I wonder if that's the reason Kanda didn't want me to help him against Vittorio." Allen said his looking to where my eyes were glued. Catherine jumped a bit when Vittorio would hit especially hard, and she would see Kanda wince in pain as he fought to hold Mugen straight.

Their swords clashed together, getting locked in a battle to see who could make the other one lose grip of their sword. Their faces were so close together Catherine imagined Kanda could see every pore on Vittorio's face. With a loud yell, Kanda slashed out, letting Vittorio's blade cut him across the cheek while, Kanda hit Vittorio in the shoulder.

Catherine winced. Blood was dripping down Kanda's already pale face, but that was nothing compared to the spurting blood coming out of Vittorio's shoulder. In a matter of seconds, Kanda was being doused with Vittorio's blood.

Vittorio stayed still till his blood was pouring no more. Kanda's eyes widened and he gave a little gasp. Vittorio's innocence was healing him, not even leaving the slightest bit of blood left.

"The innocence is healing him!" Catherine said gripping Allen's coat sleeve.

"Look! The wounds are closing up!" Allen said turning to Lenalee.

Vittorio's sword cut through the air surprising Catherine, as well as Kanda. Dead silence, till Catherine started screaming and running for Kanda.

Kanda gave a little choking sound, from the back of his throat. The Millennium's sword was embedded deep within Kanda's gut. So far, you could see the other side.

"Kanda!" Allen screamed, as the ground became red with Kanda's blood.


	4. Chapter 4

Catherine

_Kanda…_ "Kanda!" Catherine yelled falling to her knees in next to Kanda, who was holding his stomach, and making tiny gasping noises in the back of his throat.

"You will die with honor." the swords man said. He was raising his sword getting ready to deal the death blow to Kanda when he turned and swung out at Allen, sending him sprawling into the wall right of him. Catherine winced, hearing the groan of pain, emanating from his limp form. The Millennium swords man turned away Kanda, to Catherine's pleasure, and face Allen, much to her displeasure.

As he started to walk towards Allen, a stunningly green arrow shot out landing at his foot with a twang. Everybody glanced up, beside Kanda and Allen, seeing Saria being supported by Lenalee. She was hold Daikyuu in her hands, and it looked like she had just released an arrow. As the arrow at the foot of Vittorio faded away, Catherine heard the scary calm before the storm, in Saria's voice.

"First, you have the nerve to try to kill me. Second, you try to kill my Kanda. And now you have the gall to try and hurt Allen. I hope you die. In fact I'm going to kill you. By myself. Too bad you don't fight girls cuz, that would make this day a whole lot more interesting."

Saria disappeared, warping out, leaving the whole arena in silence. Catherine put her hands on Kanda and rolled him over, placing her head on his chest listening for a few seconds for the beat of his heart.

"There's a pulse. He's still alive!" Catherine said, removing her head when she heard Kanda say, "Of course I am. You know I don't die easily."

Catherine smiled a bit. "I can see that." She said reaching under his torso, with the help of Lenalee, who was kneeling beside the both of them, to move him up slightly so Catherine could slide underneath him.

Wave after wave of innocence attacks kept Allen on his toes. Catherine was so busy trying to keep an eye on Allen as well as try to help Kanda.

Allen was trying to hold up against Vittorio's attack but from the grunts of pain coming from him, Catherine knew he wouldn't last much longer.

"Allen seems to be holding up against Vittorios attacks but for how long I don't know." Lenalee said voicing Catherine's thoughts. After hearing more of Allen's screams of pain, Pedro piped up saying, "the innocence contained in Vittorio's sword is very deadly. Unfortunately anti-akuma weapons can only handle so much."

"How did he get that sword anyway?" Catherine hissed angrily. "Can we somehow get the sword away from him?"

"No, that will do nothing to stop him." Kanda said in his pain filled voice.

Catherine whimpered and loosened her grip on him just in case it was her that was hurting him.

"He…he has been enslaved by the innocence both body and soul." He said. Lenalee cast a look over Kanda's head. She rolled her eyes and mimicked choking him.

"I saw that." Kanda growled.

"It was meant for you to see."

"Enslaved?" Catherine said pulling Kanda back onto the topic before.

"Yes, we have no idea where Vittorio could have gain access to a sword like that. I don't believe he would be physically capable of handling the power of the innocence using only his will, like an accommodator would be able too, so he actually needs that sword. When confront by someone of great power the innocence begins to react to his will, forcing him to go beyond his natural limits in order to defeat his enemy."

Vittorio, in one strike, took down all the entrances to the arena, making them all collapse in on themselves. Allen was moving fast just to get away from Vittorio; he wasn't even able to try to hit him.

"So the innocence is out of control?" Lenalee asked, scared. Pedro nodded solemnly.

"Is that why you suppressed your innocence during battle, Kanda? So you wouldn't activate Vittorio's innocence?" Catherine asked, resisting the urge to stroke his head.

"Killing Vittorio is impossible." Kanda spat, moving off of Catherine's lap and struggling to rise, but only fell to his knees.

"You're bleeding, Kanda. This is no time to be the hero!" Lenalee said, standing up and running away, shouting over her shoulder, "Stay here and watch Kanda." To whom it was meant for Catherine didn't know. She hoped it was for her.

Lenalee ran off, meaning to fight the Millennium swordsman, but as she jumped up and meant to attack him, he swung his sword around in a fan like manner, deflecting Lenalee sending her sprawling out of sight from where Catherine and Pedro were sitting.

"I hope Saria comes back soon." Catherine said situating Kanda so he was leaning back onto her lap. She like his weight. It felt comfortable…familiar even.

"Why's that?" Kanda gasped. Catherine tried hard not to look at the blood running through his fingers. _He's going to pass out any second now._ Catherine thought sadly.

"Well, you must have been out for this part. Allen jumped down here, to get Vittorio's mind off of you, but he was just swatted away. Before Vittorio could do anything, though, Saria got up and shot at him threatening to kill him."

"It seems…"Kanda panted, "that Saria has taken a liking to Allen." he said shifting around causing another wave of blood to roll off of him.

"Poor boy. We should expect the wedding any time." Catherine said trying to make light of the situation. Kanda coughed out a laughed, before groaning in pain.

"Don't make me laugh." he said. Catherine bit her lip and turned away.

"Okay." She said.

Pedro laughed at Catherine, and opened his mouth to say something, but Catherine's nasty glare stopped him.

"Don't you dare. Or I'm going to warp you to the middle of the Sahara Desert and leave you there." Catherine warned.

"He'll tell me later, if you won't let him now." Kanda said.

"No he won't. I have servants that would gladly stalk him day and night turning his life into a living hell." Catherine said smiling evilly.

"All too true. It seems a bad idea to go up against a Mortmain." Kanda said smirking lightly, before coughing a bit. Catherine placed a hand on his back as he hunched forward with the force of his coughs. Kanda looked at his hand briefly, keeping it out of Catherine's line of sight. She was tempted to grab it to see what he was hiding, but she, herself, was scared to know.

"You speak as if you've had experience." Pedro said looking at me, with a raised eyebrow. Catherine shook her head no. The first time she had ever set eyes on Kanda was when she saw him through the crack in the coliseum wall.

"Yes, her sister's almost as bad as Allen." Kanda said leaning back onto Catherine's lap. She blushed and turned her head to the side pretending to try and see Allen scramble away from Vittorio.

"And Saria's the one, who has now decided that Allen's the hunkiest thing she's ever laid eyes on." Catherine mumbled to no one in particular. Kanda heard her and started laughing in gasping coughs, before full out coughing.

"Please, stop reminding me. I can't take it. Seriously." Kanda said hunching back over again, and staying that way, occasionally letting out a small whimper from the back of his throat.

"I'm sorry. I promise not to say anything stupid to make you laugh." Catherine said lightly leaning over to touch his shoulder lightly. Kanda mumbled something into his lap, so quiet that Catherine couldn't hear it. He slowly sat back up, but didn't lean back down.

"Hmm?" Catherine said wondering what it was that Kanda had said to her. Pedro looked at Kanda worriedly.

"Master Kanda, I don't think it's a wise choice to repeat what you just said." Pedro said.

"Can it. I wanna hear." Catherine snapped at Pedro. She gave him her best evil eye before looking at the back of Kanda's head, tempted to braid his hair just to see what he'd do.

"I said, 'I suppose you'd not be able to speak' implying-"

"I know what it's implying!" Catherine huffed offended. She wasn't the one with an "awkward mode" like her sisters, so she didn't make a idiot out of herself because of a boy very often.

"You asked."

"You said it."

"Think of it as character building."

"I have a few words for you."

"And those are?"

"Screw you." Catherine hissed standing up and marching away. _Don't play with matches and not expect to get burnt. _Catherine thought testily.

"I planed on it." Kanda called rather loud. Catherine stopped but didn't turn around. _I can't believe he just said that. _Catherine said, blushing while still not looking at Kanda. She went somewhere in the pits of the coliseum, checking around to make sure no one was there before jumping up and down clapping her hands together.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" A female called out from inside the darkness. Catherine moved her feet about making some noise on the ground that sounded like a dull scraping, before moving down the passage, coming into a room lit only by the fire in the center of the room. Around the fire, a young girl sat, with something wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up curiously at Catherine, before moving to stand up.

"No it's alright! I'm a friend!" Catherine said holding her hands out in a panicked gesture. The girl settled back into her spot all the while still looking ready to run if Catherine showed any sigh of turning hostile. "Who are you?" Catherine asked coming closer to the fire slowly so as not to scare the girl anymore.

"Isn't it obvious?" The girl said sadly. "I'm Lady Claudine." She shook her head in disgust. "I suppose you're here to take me back to my father. I hadn't known he'd become so desperate to even send a female after me." Catherine's eyes rose. _No need to sound so conceited._ Catherine thought.

"No, I'm not here to make you go back home. I'm sure whatever reason that brough you here is strong enough to take you home should you wish it." Catherine said taking a seat across the fire from Claudine.

"Funny, how only you seem to know that I wasn't kidnapped, that I came willingly, I perhaps even begged to be taken." Claudine said softly.

"I didn't know. I just figured if he was stupid enough to leave you here alone, I'm pretty sure you would have gotten out- if you wanted to that is."

She laugh lightly, making a beautiful tinkling sound that sounded so happy, as if she weren't kidnapped, just having a sleep over at a friends house. Though Catherine daresay, that this was one weird sleepover.

"I suppose you wonder what drove me away from my oh-so-wonderful life style as a lady." Claudine said.

"Not really." Catherine replied, thinking that that room was too hot to be wearing a coat.

"Can I tell you anyway?"

"Sure. It's not like I have to listen." Catherine said pulling her coat off and lying it across her lap. Claudine looked at her funny from across the fire.

"What?" Catherine asked blinking her big grey eyes at her. Claudine shook her head and looked away a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

"It's just that, even though I tell you I'm of noble birth, you treat me as if I were a commoner." She admitted. Catherine shrugged.

"I treat others like I would every body else, asking those who bow to me not to. Being noble is not everything it's made out to be. All those classes…." Catherin shuddered in horror.

"It is true. We do not even have the choice to chose our own love. We are told whom we are supposed to marry." Claudine said angrily.

Catherine paused a moment, before very carefully saying, " It seems, that would depend on the family. I'm allowed to choose, it's just when I'm allowed to, not to whom. I'm scared that I won't be able to get married till I'm close to thirty." Claudine laughed bitterly.

"If only that was my trouble. I would gladly not have to marry till I'm thirty. Instead my father chooses it to be now, er...rather in few months from now." Catherine looked at the girl in sympathy.

"I take it, you have to marry a person, whom you know would beat you to death every night and still expect you to love him even after that." Claudine nodded sniffing a bit. " I personally would hide out here too, I mean, no one comes here, it's warm, and town is only a few miles away. What could be better?" Catherine asked.

"A family. Someone who loves me for me. Children to call me mother. I could think of endless things that would make this better."

"Then, go and get them." Catherine said. Claudine looked up at Catherine in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Go and get your family. I don't think you signed a contract that said you have to be sold off to the first pig that offers the most money. Go and find your ruggedly, cute farm boy, that has an adorable smile and only wants the change your last name. Go and have all those little tiny children to call you Mother. It's your life. Do what you want." Catherine said fiercely. This was something she hated about the living world and their nobles. They sold their children off to the first person that offered the most money for them.

Claudine was silent for a few moments. Then her tears began, and she crawled around the fire to wrap Catherine in a bear hug. "Thank you. That was exactly what I needed to hear." she said into the collar of Catherine's tunic. Catherine returned the hug before pulling away.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and check on my ruggedly cute farm boy." Claudine's eyes lit up in joy.

"You have your own, male to call your own?" She asked excitedly. Catherine laughed. _My own male…_

"Ha ha, no. But I'd like to think that he's mine. At least sort of. Well, not technically, but a girl can dream right?" Catherine said awkwardly, before realizing something. "Well, he might be dead now, as seeing when I left him, he was bleeding out all over the place."

"Well, then I suppose you'd better go and tend to him."

"Yes, I suppose I should." Catherine said standing up, and backing away. "Have fun in your new life." She said before turning and walking out. The second she was out of eyesight, she warped, landing right next to Kanda and Pedro.

"Hi." She said taking a seat back in her usual spot. Kanda was lying haphazardly in a pile on the ground. "I have an odd feeling he shouldn't be lying that way." Catherine said moving Kanda onto his back. His black eyes fluttered open to see Catherine towering over him.

"Good. You're back." he said sitting up, and scooting closer so her could lay in her lap again. "The ground is hard."

_ I should think so. _Catherine thought to herself, using on hand to smooth Kanda's bangs back so she could feel his forehead. His skin felt clammy to the touch. Catherine knew, they should be getting him some help instead of just sitting there have a civilized conversation, but they couldn't leave till Allen could, as well as Lenalee. So they sat there, one of Catherine's hands on Kanda's forehead, the other holding his wrist feeling weak pulse beat unsteadily against her fingers, all the while just waiting for Kanda's last breath to be taken.

An usual burst of light, broke the normal pattern, making everyone, even Vittorio, look up. Anya stood holding in her hands a long scythe, a death one.

_ Oh, she's using mine…._Catherine thought seeing the longer curved blade, as well as the ancient writing on the handle. Anya looked pretty angry right then, looking like she was about to murder some and enjoy it. It went back to that adorable-even-when-she's-going- to-kill-someone thing, with her smiling violet eyes and white bouncy curls.

"Saria would have been here, defending her sweetheart," Catherine strained to catch of a glimpse of Allen, just knowing that he was a pretty shade of red, "But the second she told me what she wanted, she passed out." Anya smiled and picked up the scythe and swirled it about in her hands. "Here I am, ready to kill you." She said that creepy smile returning to her face.

"Look Kanda. I wasn't kidding when I said Saira, er… Anya was going to kill him." Catherine said not looking down at him. When her didn't respond, Catherine took a peek, fear creeping up into her throat. Kanda's beautifully long eyelashes were fluttering against his cheekbones, as he struggled to stay awake. His body, lay limp in Catherine's arms.

"Kanda! Kanda! No, stay awake!" Catherine said gripping his hand in her own while moving around so she could better see him, meaning not looking at him upside down. His slender fingers pressed coolly into Catherine's sweaty palm. Thinking was not on her list of things to take time doing, so she did what came naturally to her, warp home.

The warp was especially painful for Catherine knowing, she possibly just killed Kanda in a moment of panic to bring him home to the netherworlds. "Kanda! Please don't leave me!" Catherine bawled, cradling Kanda's head softly against her chest, mentally making a barter with the death god, to keep him alive. "Please, Somebody help me." Catherine whimpered, calling for her attendents. They appeared, taking over the situation with skill and precision.

"He'll be fine, Miss Catherine." They said, disappearing with Kanda, leaving Catherine to curl up pitifully on the floor and wait for Kanda to wake up.

* * *

A/n Hey, I just want to give a shout out, to my favorite reader, who bugs me constantly about updating, because she wants to read some more about herself. Yes, I made a character for her (Catherine) and now she loves me for life. So Sunprincessmargie, This one's for you!

And moving on, if ya'll could read/review, that would make me feel tons better! Haha *Flies away on a unicorn. with Ben. A creepypasta.* :P


	5. Chapter 5

Kanda

_So..warm_, was Kanda's first thought coming back into the realm of the living. He breathed in the scent of freesia flowers and burrowed closer into the warmth. _So nice smelling…_He thought stretching out. It'd been a long time since he had been relatively comfortable while sleeping. His bed at the Black order was hard and lumpy, and he hardly ever got a good nights sleep, except when he was exhausted. Then he was so tired, he didn't even care anymore.

He heard the soft hummed lullaby, coming from beside him, and he curled up again wanting to savor this peace for as long as he could.

The singer laughed softly and caressed his forehead twirling a piece of his hair around in their soft fingers.

_ Deep in the meadow, hidden far away…_ She sang so softly, that if Kanda hadn't been accustomed to the silence he would have missed it. _A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray…_ She continued lulling him back into the sleep that called to him from the deep depths of his mind. _Forget your woes and let your troubles lay. And when it's morning, they'll wash away… _She sang. Her soft, mellow voice reminded him somewhat of the pretty girl who had sat with him, letting him lay in her lap…

Kanda shot straight up, his head swiveling finding, much to his pleasure, the pretty girl sitting on the bed beside him reading a book…in a soft white nightgown.

"Good morning Sleepy Head. Have a nice rest?" She said, her hand still outstretched from where Kanda's hair had slipped through her fingers. Her big black curls lay unbound falling around her shoulder blades. Wide, surprised gray eyes looked at Kanda, unfailingly meeting Kanda's black ones.

"Where am I?" Kanda asked rubbing the sleep fro his eyes, and looking back down into his lap to avoid staring at the girl in her nightgown. She was so pretty, it killed him to admit it.

"Well, you were in the process of dying so, I, in the process of freaking out about you in the process of dying, warped home and successfully saved you with the help of my friends who live to serve me." She said going back to her book. She didn't even look twice at Kanda.

"Oh. …What are you doing here, then?" Kanda asked still a bit fogged-out from his previous sleep. She looked up at him smiling brightly.

"You must still be tired, because I just said that I warped home, meaning I live here." She laughed turning a page.

"You live here?"

"Yes, Kanda." She laughed, leaning over to poke him in the side, making him jump at the sudden human contact. "Now, go back to sleep. You sound funny, not being in your usual bad mood." She said getting off the bed, and going around to the other side, pushing Kanda back down into the soft sheets. Kanda slipped blissfully back into sleep, dreaming of meadows and moonbeams. 

"Sir. Sir! You need to wake up!" Someone yelled at Kanda breaking through that sleep barrier keeping him asleep. Kanda ignored them. He didn't know them by voice, so why should he acknowledge them?

Something cold and wet doused him. _They did not just do that. _Kanda growled in his head. He sat up glaring at whoever was unlucky enough to get the task of waking him up.

A girl and a boy, backed away from him in fear. They were older, middle aged, but looked as if they could have been older. The lady had a soft kind hearted face, while the male looked as if he just ate a lemon.

"Oh, Lady Catherine wasn't kidding when she said he had a general bad attitude." The lady said tugging on the arm of the gentleman.

"Don't worry, if he smarts off to Lord Death, we wont have to deal with him much longer." Te man said patting the lady on the arm his face softening a little.

"We will if Lady Catherine decides she wants to keep him." The lady said looking back at Kanda glowering on the bed. "C'mon you. You have a meeting to attend." She said pulling the covers back on the bed.

Kanda wearily threw his legs off the edge of the bed, and stood up, almost toppling back to the ground from how jelly-like his legs had suddenly become. Much to his displeasure, the duo grabbed him by the arms and hauled him into a closet forcefully undressing him, and shoving him into a bathroom to bath.

After the rushed, awkward bath, Kanda was, again, forcibly dressed. He wore a dark tux, complete with the vest, but without the bow tie. They brushed out his hair ignoring his protests, and then shoved him out to the hall, where he was then grabbed by two men with armor covering every square inch of their bodies. When Kanda tried to loosen their grip, they just held tighter and told him in the same monotonous to not even try.

"Where are you taking me?" Kanda hissed, digging his feet into the soft carpet. The two guards just jerked especially hard on his upper arms to make him move. Not one of them said a word. Finally after being dragged down a flight of stairs, they stopped at a simple wooden door. Looks can be deceiving.

They shoved Kanda through the door, sending him almost toppling down a flight of stairs. When Kanda regained his balance, he looked up in awe.

Row upon row of bookcases lined the walls with movable ladders attached to the tops. There were two floors, with one main stair case leading down to the sub-level as well as two metal spiral stairs in the far corners. In the sub level, which Kanda could see down into, there was the normal bookshelves lined wall, but on the far end past the rows of bookcases in the middle of the floor, there seemed to be a little sitting area complete with the stone fireplace set back into the wall. The wood of the bookcases was a dark mahogany with red carpet. The room was large and a little dark, making it seem far too comfortable for a library.

Kanda, descended the stairs in front of him walking down the aisle right in front of him rather than the side aisles that led down into the dark depths of the library. He had a feeling that he should head down to the sitting area that had a fire burning nicely in the fireplace. If all else fails, he was cold.

"I see Karin and Drew managed to wake you up." A deep throaty voice said some where in the shadows.

Kanda cursed reaching down for Mugen only to remember he didn't have it. The shadows moved and a man stepped out. He was tall and lanky, all angles. He moved with a predatory like way, like he was forever stalking something. He had dark hair that curled slightly like that girl- Catherine- Kanda guessed that this man was Lord Death, Catherine's as well as Saria and he sisters father.

"If our shadow guards were unnecessarily rude, don't blame them. They're in love with Anya. Any man who comes in here, they are automatically rude to them, so don't take it personally." Lord Death said walking down the aisle, moving past Kanda to take a seat on one of the couches.

"Take a seat. We have a lot to discuss." Lord Death said, pointing to a seat across from him. _What, am I being interview to marry one of your daughters? I don't thing so! _Kanda thought taking a seat as far away from Lord Death as he could.

"Sit closer, boy."

"Yes sir." Kanda perched uncomfortable on the edge of the sofa, and swallowed just as uncomfortably. They both sat in awkward silence, for what seemed like decades. Kanda tried his best to look at Lord Death but found himself staring intently into the flames that licked up out of the grate.

"So there was something that you wan-" Kanda began to say but was cut off but Lord Deaths hushing.

"I read people better in the silence. We talk later." Lord death said placing a gloved finger to his lips.

Kanda rolled his eyes, and went back to staring into the fire. The delicious flames licked up dancing a dance that seemed so foreign yet know to him. Longer and longer he stared. He didn't even look up as Lord death began to talk to him.

"Don't you find it funny, how some of us know precisely where we are going in our lives, yet others seem to be lost in a haze…" Lord Death began to say, but the rest of it was lost on Kanda as the flames took on a whole new life, some of the flames taking up shapes of people he once knew.

He felt his eyes go heavy lidded, he eyes struggling to stay open because he knew it was impolite to fall asleep while someone was talking to him. In then end, his eye firmly closed calling him back from whence he came.

_ Kanda! Kanda! Stay awake, or you'll get sent away…like away, away._ Somebody screamed at him from inside his head. That was all it took to snap Kanda out of his reverie. He looked up and smiled politely at Lord Death before standing up.

"If you wish to place me under some mind control trick, I'm warning you now. It won't work." Kanda said sweetly with a twinge of iciness.

Lord Death shrugged. "I wasn't trying too hard. Any boy my daughter brings home, I would do well not to break his mind." He said flicking an imaginary piece of lint off of his black suit coat. "If, however, you are interested, I may have a proposition for you."

Responding without thinking, Kanda said, "Ew." Lord Death shot him a cold look.

"Don't be weird." Kanda mumbled his apologies and tried hard to wipe the smirk off of his face. "Continuing on," Kanda go a look, "It has been a long time since I have stepped foot in the mortal world. And my last ambassador…died…unexpectedly, So this leaves the question open to you, the first mortal in a long while, would you consider being my ambassador from the living realm?"

Kanda opened his mouth to speak, wondering if there were any catches to his offer.

"Before you ask, if you say no, I will kill you here and now." There it was. The deal breaker. Kanda rolled his eyes. Now there really no choice. Kanda sighed.

"I guess my only option is to say yes." Kanda said rubbing the bridge of his nose. This was not going to go over well with the black order.

"Good boy," Lord death said standing up to pat Kanda on the head, "Now go down to the great hall. Everyone is there having breakfast." Like he knew where that was.

Lord death disappeared, leaving Kanda alone. Sighing Kanda pulled his long blue hair up into a ponytail and released it wishing he had something to pull it back. Walking out of the library, Kanda heard "Don't tell anyone…I wouldn't want them to meet an untimely death.." Kanda's head jerked as he looked around looking for Lord Death. Not seeing anything, he hurried and left.


	6. Chapter 6

Anya

Infinite boredom. Constant stream of things to do, and Anya got infinite boredom. It helped when she got to leave the castle and actually go to the living world. But sometimes, Anya wished for something more. And then she got Kanda. And that boy, Allen. A flicker of excitement in her boring world.

"Oh Catherine!" Anya called out from her spot at the dining table. She crooked her finger at Catherine who had just walked in the room with Saria by her side.

"What?" She asked annoyed. Catherine had sort of sunk into a funk after Kanda had woken up the first time, and gone back to sleep but still hadn't waken up.

"If you continue to talk to me like that, I won't tell you the good news that I heard." Anya said flipping a length of white curl around her finger.

"And why do I care about castle gossip?" Catherine asked mimicking Anya and fixed a long black curl over her shoulder.

"Because it includes Kanda." Anya happily. It bothered Anya to see Catherine so down lately, so when she heard that Kanda was forced to wake up today, it made her excited to see the smile back on her sister's face.

When Catherine gave no response, Anya glanced up to see what was taking her so long. Catherine stood a tad bit stiffer, and the irritancy and annoyance were gone off her facial features. Her face was carefully blank.

"Well, your servants were told to wake him up earlier this morning for a meeting with Dad." Anya said bummed that Catherine wasn't excited as she was.

"And that includes us how?" Saria piped in.

"Oh, well. It doesn't. I just thought It would make Catherine happy to know that her lover was alive and well again." Anya said carefully not looking at Catherine.

"I thought so." Saria said settling back onto her heels, before moving to take a seat for breakfast. Catherine soon followed.

After a while, the dinning room was filled with the normal happy chatter with a few bursts of shouting when there was a slight disagreement among the trio. Plates of food was brought out of the kitchens by the eyeless souls bound to serve Lord Death for all eternity.

"Arigato." Anya said looking up at the servant but not really seeing them, because of the fact that they had no eyes.

Once her food was cooled down enough to touch, Anya picked up her fork and was about to stab into her food when she happened to look up and see the food fall out of Catherine's mouth in shock. Saria saw too, and cracked up, laughing like an idiot.

Anya turned around to see Kanda leaning up against the door way, dressed in a tux. Different from his normal long Exorcist coat and black combat boot.

"Hi Kanda. Nice to see you finally wake up. Your wife has been missing you." Anya said referring to the tales Saria had told her about the old woman thinking Catherine and Kanda were married. Catherine kicked her shins under the table.

"What?" Kanda asked a slight tinge of worry in his voice. _Oh, this is gonna be great! _Anya thought thinking about all the jokes she could make today.

"Oh, never mind her. Always got her head in the clouds." Catherine laughed nervously shooting a nasty look at Anya.

"Oh, yeah. That's right. I forgot you didn't know…" Anya said nonchalantly, giving no sign of continuing her sentence.

"What do you mean…?" Kanda asked when Saria stated laughing like her normal idiotic self again.

"Hmm. Oh, nothing." Anya said lightly going back to her food, ignoring the warning looks from Catherine.

"Why don't you join us for breakfast, Kanda?" Catherine asked her voice abnormally high-pitched, a clear sign of her nervousness.

"I was actually told to come in here with you." Kanda said eyeing Anya before taking a seat across from Saria, who snickered.

"I wonder why." Anya said looking at Catherine across the table.

"Ignore her." Catherine said.

All through breakfast, Anya made any jab she could at Catherine: eyebrow wiggling, innuendos, lip biting, snickering, all of it.

"I think I'm done now. I'll go hide in my room." Catherine said standing up suddenly and throwing her napkin on the table. She glared at Anya who sheepishly hid her face while looking down.

_ I love being able to make her uncomfortable._ Anya thought happily. Kanda looked up for a second and then went back to eating, seemingly not to see anything wrong.

"So Kanda, when are you going back to the Black Order?" Saria asked.

Kanda swallowed what he had in his mouth, and spoke, "When your father allows me to go home." he said a tad bitterly. "Which reminds me, Anya, your lovesick puppy guards are creepy." Kanda said to her.

"Oh, I know. I'm kind of worried about when I do fall in love, and bring him home to meet Dad. They might kill him." Anya said pushing her plate away from her.

"Why do they all like you though?" Kanda asked.

"Oh, I love this story! It's so romantic!" Saria gushed. Anya looked a bit offended.

"There is nothing romantic about it at all. I just ended up getting lost outside of the castle and I happened to stumble upon a tribe of shadow beings in trouble with another tribe. I just helped them, that's all. And in return, some of the shadow beings came to work here in terms of repayment." Anya said a tad bit defensively.

"You purposely left out the part of the hot shadow king, didn't you?" Saria demanded. Kanda looked helplessly between the two squabbling sisters.

"There is nothing to tell!" Anya practically yelled.

"Who are you trying to convince? Yourself? He showed up here every day for weeks asking for your hand in marriage. You cannot tell me that there was nothing going on." Saria reprimanded.

"Nothing happened! He was just like all the other shadow guards!" Anya said slamming her fist on the table.

Kanda look from the door and back. Anya took notice and dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Saria…I swear on my life, that nothing happened. I don't even know his real name as a matter of fact." Anya had tried hard to forget about the shadow king she'd met while out in the real netherworlds. He was kind, funny, and oh-so-dashingly-handsome. She had thought she was in love, until she found out what he really was. A demon, intent on adding her to his collection of broken dolls, dependant on his touch, taste, everything. She had tried hard to free the other girls but in the end left them because of how…pathetic they were. When she heard his voice the fist morning back at the castle, she was so scared she had cried for hours to her father to make him leave.

Day after day, he came back trying to turn her into one of his dolls, and day after day she refused violently.

Anya shuddered and shoved the thought of him from her mind.

"Was it that bad?" Saria asked suggestively.

Anya groaned. "Nothing! Happened!" Anya got up and stormed out of the room. After a few intense minutes of storming about the palace, she warped, leaving to her favorite place.

Her favorite place was rather odd. A spire reaching high up to the sky, the very top of a castle tower somewhere in the living realm. Anya like to stand at the very top, the point of the spire digging into her shoes. But she didn't mind, the view made it all worth it.

Looking out over a pristine valley, picture perfect, some times Anya felt like she could touch the clouds, she would reach he hand up as far as she could and wait for a cloud to pass, wanting to feel the softness. Other times, she wondered what it would feel like to step off, spiraling away down fast to the ground before warping away at the last second just to feel like flying.

This time it was just to look, wishing again and again that she wasn't a nether world princess destined to live in the shadows. She liked the living world. It was so bright and cheery, unlike her home. Dark, dark, dark. Sometime she wondered if she got her love for the light from her Mother.

All of her sisters had mortal mothers, but none of them expressed actually liking being outside in the daylight. All different, but that didn't matter, Earl blood was more prominent.

Anya balanced carefully on the top of the spire and spread her arms out, tilting her head back to catch some of the fading sunlight's rays. The wind teased her curls out of their place and whipped them out behind her. The layers of her poofy dress shifted somewhat slightly in the offensive wind. Her violet eyes were closed. When she opened them again, she surprised to see someone sitting in front of her. Literally.

Anya stared at the intruding male, deciding if she thought he was cute or not. Shaggy crimson looks fell down into his piercing green eyes…er eye. The other one was covered with a black eye patch. He wore a dark jacket with a matching crimson scarf around his neck, white, nearly skin-tight jeans, showed off his long muscular legs, but they, sadly, were hidden again by his black combat boot. He wasn't cute, he was sexy.

It took a second to realize how he was sitting in front of her, but she soon realized that he was sitting on the end of a long pole. How he got up there, she had no idea.

They regarded one another with curiosity. Who was he? Anya dropped her arms back to her sides again, and blinked a few times to clear her vision just to make sure he was real. He was. After a few moment of silent regarding, the crimson boy held out his hand to her.

Where would they go? Unless he had like a superpower to fly all he was doing was offering his hand to her. Nevertheless, Anya shyly held out her hand and reached forward taking his hand. In a swift movement, he pulled hard against him, a vague sense of dropping in her stomach signaled that they were moving. In the time that the crimson boy had pulled Anya to his chest, he had also dropped down a little and was now clasping to pole in his right arm while holding Anya in his left.

Anya felt like swooning. He was holding her to him like she was a damsel in distress that needed saving like in all the romantic stories she'd read. Anya gripped the back of his coat tightly and looked out over his shoulder to see that they were moving away from her spire. She gave a small cry of delight when she realized they _were flying._

"Hold on tight princess, it's going to get bumpy." he said. His voice was light and especially boyish. The way he spoke it sounded like he was constantly on the verge of revealing a great joke. Anya's heart fluttered a bit, whether it was because he had spoken or the fact that they were flying ,she didn't know.

Anya grip on the boy tightened. When she felt the frighteningly fast descent happen, she automatically slid her legs up and griped his waist with her knees. She felt him tense for a moment before going completely relaxed.

He touched ground, and Anya reluctantly dropped her legs to stand on her own wobble feet. She felt light headed, and good. Like something good had just happened to her and that was only the beginning of it's goodness.

"Arigato." Anya whispered, bowing slightly her face beet red.

"Welcome, princess." he smirked. For some odd reason, Anya didn't mind so much being called princess by him. It seemed…fitting somehow.

Anya smiled brightly, before finger waving and warping off.

Anya landed in her bedroom breathing hard, her stomach a pit of frothing butterflies. _He was so handsome. _Anya thought.

She shakily undid her clothes and let them fall to the floor, before running into her closet to pull a night gown on, even though it was the middle of the day. She crawled into her sheets and buried her face into her pillow every time she started thinking about her…crimson hero in an inappropriate manner, letting the thought last long enough, before she pushed them out of her head and went back to trying to remember every detail about him.

"Anya?" Saria knocked on her door, after a long while of Anya drifting in and out of dream filled sleep. "Are you okay?" she asked opening her door. When she saw Anya lying on her bed, she came in closer to sit on the edge.

"Why are you in bed?" She asked. Anya nodded a bit of a smile on her face. Saria smiled too. "What?"

Anya bit her lip. "I met someone today." she said.

Saria raised her eyebrows. "Is he handsome?" Anya shook her head.

"No, he's sexy." Anya clarified at Saria's confused expression. Saria's expression cleared.

"Is that why you're in bed? Sleeping the day away so tomorrow comes earlier." Anya's smile faltered.

"I probably won't ever see him again. I don't even know his name."

Saria's face darkened. "Then we should probably find him again." Saria said grabbing Anya's wrists and pulling her up from the bed. They tromped through the castle avoiding the shadow guards as much as possible; Anya dressed in her night gown, and Saria in a dark tunic.

"What are we doing here?" Anya asked Saria when they reached the door the old magic room that they had been first taught to control their powers.

"Well, there are still some items left in there that I happen to use quite a lot. More now, because I have to make sure that girl doesn't steal Allen away from me." Saria said hauling the doors open.

Anya walked in and stood in the center of the room waiting for Saria to enter behind her.

"Just wait a second." Saria said touching her shoulder before going into the closet on the far side of the room. She returned lugging a table. She went back into the closet and came back out carrying a sack. She set it on the table.

"A crystal ball? Seriously?" Anya deadpanned. When Saria pulled out the large crystal mass, it was all Anya could do not to throw something at her.

"Yup. Believe it or not, it actually works! I've used it like twice, and I've been successful each time." Saria said, situating the crystal ball just perfectly.

"Okay, Madam Saria, what do we do now?" Anya asked after watching Saria just stare at the ball ofr like five minutes.

"Now, we decide if you really want to find out who your mystery boy is or not. Just picture him in your head, and _will _the ball to see him too." Anya snorted. Nevertheless though, she went back over in her head every detail of his face and body. She flushed red at certain parts but did not take her eyes off. Then, there he was.

Anya was positive that the image she was looking out was conjured straight out of her head. He looked just like she had last seen him, standing with his back to the trees his hand still outstretched.

"well he's not impressive at all, is he?" Saria said peering at the glass. She touched the image and drew it out widening the perspective and saw Allen nearby him. Allen seemed awfully excited about something; his hand moved about as if they were telling the story and not his mouth.

"Well, that's interesting. My Allen is with him."

"No, really? I couldn't already see that." Anya said swinging her gaze from the picture to Saria, who was biting her fingernails in excitement.

"This is gonna be awesome." She said pulling her fingers from her mouth, and nodding her head firmly.

"Don't you dar-" but before Anya could finish, Saria had warped, of course, to Allen's side.

The poor boy jumped about three feet in the air when Saria appeared next to him, and practically tackled him in a hug. Anya groaned.

Saria squeezed him hard against her and then released him. There was no sound to Anya so she could only watch Allen fall and land on his butt at Saria's feet. The crimson boy laughed, doubled over in hysterical fits, while Saria sat down next to Allen and continued to hold him in he death grip, which only made crimson boy laugh harder.

He perked up when Saria started talking to him, pointing up in the general direction of where Anya would be if she had been in the same plan of existence as them. Saria's finger made a curly motion near her head, as if describing Anya.

He looked up to where Saria had pointed for about two seconds before turning back to Saria and saying something.

Her mouth dropped open. She looked up at Anya and began shaking her head. She pointed at Anya, as if she could see her, and began her death rant. _My life is official over…_


End file.
